Sri Vijaya Puram, July 23: The A&N Pollution Control Committee (ANPCC), Department of Science & Technology, A&N Administration, has initiated action for the effective implementation of the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) in compliance with the directions of the Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change (MoEF&CC), Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), as part of India’s commitments under the Stockholm Convention.
Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) are highly toxic chemicals that remain in the environment for long periods, accumulate in living organisms through the food chain, and pose significant risks to human health, wildlife and ecosystems. The Stockholm Convention, which came into force in 2004, is a global environmental treaty aimed at protecting human health and the environment from POPs. The Convention currently lists 37 Persistent Organic Pollutants, comprising pesticides and industrial chemicals, under three Annexes covering elimination, restriction, and reduction of unintentional releases of these hazardous substances.
India ratified the Convention in 2006 and has so far ratified 19 Persistent Organic Pollutants, namely Aldrin, Chlordane, Chlordecone, Dieldrin, Endrin, Heptachlor, Hexabromobiphenyl, Hexabromocyclododecane (HBCD), Hexabromodiphenyl ether and Heptabromodiphenyl ether, Hexachlorobenzene, Hexachlorobutadiene, Mirex, Pentachlorobenzene, Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs), Tetrabromodiphenyl ether and Pentabromodiphenyl ether, Toxaphene, DDT, Polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDD), and Polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDF).
The remaining 18 chemicals, which are not yet ratified by India, include Chlorpyrifos, Decabromodiphenyl ether (commercial mixture, c-decaBDE), Dechlorane Plus, Dicofol, Alpha Hexachlorocyclohexane (α-HCH), Beta Hexachlorocyclohexane (β-HCH), Lindane, Long-chain Perfluorocarboxylic Acids (LC-PFCAs), their salts and related compounds, Medium-chain Chlorinated Paraffins (MCCPs), Methoxychlor, Pentachlorophenol and its salts and esters, Polychlorinated Naphthalenes (PCNs), Perfluorooctanoic Acid (PFOA), its salts and PFOA-related compounds, Perfluorohexane Sulfonic Acid (PFHxS), its salts and PFHxS-related compounds, Short-chain Chlorinated Paraffins (SCCPs), Technical Endosulfan and its related isomers, UV-328, and Perfluorooctane Sulfonic Acid (PFOS), its salts and Perfluorooctane Sulfonyl Fluoride (PFOSF).
To regulate the ratified POPs, the Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change (MoEF&CC) has notified the Regulation of Polychlorinated Biphenyls Order, 2016 and the Regulation of Persistent Organic Pollutants Rules, 2018, which prohibit the manufacture, use, import, export and trade of the notified Persistent Organic Pollutants. Compliance with these regulations is being monitored by the regulatory authorities.
Further, A&N Pollution Control Committees (ANPCC) collects information on the 18 non-ratified POPs to assess their production, import, export, domestic sales, in-house consumption and stockpiles. The information will assist the MoEF&CC, Govt. of India, in evaluating the status of these chemicals and facilitating informed decision-making regarding India’s future obligations under the Stockholm Convention.
Accordingly, all industrial units, manufacturers, importers, exporters, traders, research institutions, laboratories, educational institutions, government organizations and other establishments dealing with any of the chemicals listed under the Stockholm Convention are requested to furnish the requisite information in the prescribed format to the Member Secretary, Andaman & Nicobar Pollution Control Committee, Department of Science & Technology, A&N Administration, Dollygunj, Sri Vijaya Puram, South Andaman, on or before 27th July, 2026. The information may also be submitted through e-mail at dstpcc-andamans@and.nic.in.
The detailed list of the ratified and non-ratified Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs), along with the prescribed reporting formats, is available on the ANPCC website at https://dstpcc.andamannicobar.gov.in.
The ANPCC requests the cooperation of all concerned stakeholders in furnishing the required information within the stipulated time to facilitate effective implementation of the Stockholm Convention and strengthen the management of hazardous chemicals in the Andaman & Nicobar Islands.